04/07/2022 - Romanian director Cristi Puiu’s new film in post-production stands tall among the 12 works selected by the co-production platform, which is unspooling 7 and 8 July at FIDMarseille

Director Cristi Puiu, who is taking part in the FIDLab with MMXX

Four titles in the writing phase, five in development, one film in production and two in post-production: 12 projects hailing from 15 countries are on the agenda of the 14th FIDLab event, the international co-production platform organised within the Marseille International Film Festival – FIDMarseille (whose 33rd edition will open tomorrow, 5 July – read our article).

On 7 and 8 July, FidLab (which very recently hosted A Night of Knowing Nothing [+see also:
film review
interview: Payal Kapadia
film profile] by Payal Kapadia, Unrest [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Cyril Schäublin
film profile] by Cyril Schäublin, Atlantide [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Yuri Ancarani
interview: Yuri Ancarani and Marco Ale…
film profile] by Yuri Ancarani and Afterwater [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Dane Komljen) will be shining an especially bright light on MMXX [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Cristi Puiu
film profile], Romanian director Cristi Puiu’s 6th feature film after Malmkrog [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Cristi Puiu
film profile] (which scooped the Best Director Award in the Berlinale’s 2020 Encounters competition), Sieranevada [+see also:
film review
trailer
Q&A: Cristi Puiu
film profile] (in competition in Cannes 2016), Aurora [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Clara Voda
film profile] (Cannes’ Un Certain Regard section in 2010), The Death of Mr Lazarescu [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (awarded the Un Certain Regard Prize in Cannes 2005) and Stuff and Dough (Directors’ Fortnight 2001).

Currently in post-production, the film (steered by Mandragora alongside 2DB Films Studio) intertwines four brief moments in time capturing the erring ways of a group of lost souls standing at a crossroads in history: Oana Pfifer, a young therapist who’s visibly distracted, for reasons unknown, finds herself progressively caught in the trap of the questionnaire she’s supposed to give to her patient; Mihai Dumitru, Oana’s younger brother, who’s busy with preparations for his birthday and unaware that his demands are inappropriate, gets caught up in events which are far bigger than he is; Septimiu Pfifer, Oana’s husband, who’s worried he might have caught Covid-19, listens vaguely to the strange business his paramedic colleague got mixed up in a long time ago, as they wait for the next call for help; and Narcis Patranescu, an inspector specialising in organised crime, who’s unsettled by the recent death of a colleague, finds himself faced with a sombre and troubling story while questioning a young woman during a funeral…

Three prizes are set to be handed out at the close of FIDLab, courtesy of a jury including Bruno Deloye (Ciné+), international sales agent Virginie Devesa (Alpha Violet) and producer Tania El Khoury (Les Films de L’Altaï – Khamsin Films).

The 2022 FIDLab selection is as follows:

All the Renaults in the World - Declan Clarke (Ireland)
In development

The Seasons - Maureen Fazendeiro (Portugal/France)
In production

Echo - Joshua Bonnetta (Canada)
In development

Fleur de bambou - Kiyé Simon Luang (Laos/France)
In the writing phase

Following the Sound - Kyoshi Sugita (Japan)
In the writing phase

I Look Like My Mother - Amina Maher (Iran/Germany)
In development

MMXX [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Cristi Puiu
film profile] - Cristi Puiu (Romania)
In post-production

Neverland - Isabel Pagliai (France)
In development

Presidente - Jazmín López (Argentina)
In the writing phase

Se van sus naves - Óscar Vincentelli (Venezuela/Spain)
In development

The Christmas Card - Lucy Kerr (USA)
In post-production

The Night Came About - Mira Adoumier (Lebanon/Holland)
In the writing phase

(Translated from French)